Question of the Week #16

Dear class,

On Wednesday this week, we will celebrate the Mass for Ash Wednesday. This will be the beginning of a 40-day journey called "Lent." During Lent, Catholics are called to do three things: fast, pray and give to charity. To fast means to give up something that may be getting in the way of our path to God. You may want to watch less TV or cut back on sweets and eat healthier. For prayer, you could start a tradition of praying for 5 minutes before going to bed. Charity work is giving back to the community. If your church is collecting canned foods, remember to bring them to Mass. We will also be hosting a 3B garage sale in the middle of March to raise money for the Rice Bowl. The Rice Bowl collects money for families who are hungry and poor. The next few weeks are a chance for us to improve ourselves. In this week's blog, write about what you plan to do to make this a special Lenten season. Thoughtful responses written by Friday, February 27th, will receive 2 extra credit points for their English grade.

~ Ms. Gessner

Question of the Week #15

Dear class,

Since Valentine's Day is coming up next weekend, this is the perfect time to think about those people in our lives who we love. Please write a paragraph about a person who is special to you. Tell us why you love him/her, what makes that person special to you and how he/she has changed your life. To earn 3 extra credit points toward your English grade, your paragraph should have a topic sentence, a couple detail sentences and a wrap-it-up sentence. Remember to check your work. This assignment is due by Friday, February 13th.

~ Ms. Gessner

Question of the Week #14

Dear class,

This week, we will be learning how to make different kinds of poems. If you'd like to see some examples, you can go to the following websites:

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/acrostic/

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/diamante/

http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/shape/

These are just some examples. You can also make up your own kind of poem. Remember, poetry can be silly or serious. Poetry is not too worried about punctuation or complete sentences. Make up your own poem here on our blog by Friday, February 6th. This will be worth 2 extra credit points for your English grade.

~ Ms. Gessner

Question of the Week #13

Dear class,

Happy Catholic Schools Week! The theme this week is "Catholic Schools Celebrate Service." Here is a picture of children cleaning their school in El Salvador. This is one example of showing service. How can you show service this week? What are some special things you can do to give back to your family, community or the world? Thoughtful responses will receive 2 extra credit points for a religion grade.

~ Ms. Gessner

Question of the Week #12

Dear class,

On February 15th, Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been 80 years old if he was alive today. In the 1960's, he fought for the rights of all people. His dream (hope) was that segregation would end and that all people would be treated equally. What is your hope for the future? What would you like to see changed for our country or world? This week's question is worth 2 extra credit points for your religion grade.

~ Ms. Gessner

Question of the Week #11

Dear class,

On January 19th, President-elect Barack Obama will be moving into the White House with his wife and two daughters. Think about a time when you had to go somewhere new. Perhaps you were the new student in school or maybe you had to move from one house to another. If you have never moved, tell us about a time when you went somewhere new for the first time. Remember to check your work for mistakes before you post your blog for all to see. If you answer this question thoughtfully, you'll get 2 extra credit points for your social studies grade.

~ Ms. Gessner

Question of the Week #10

Dear class,

Happy New Year! I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas vacation. Since 2009 just started a few days ago, I thought we could blog about our goals for the new year. A goal is also known as a resolution.

What would you like to improve or change now that it's a brand new year? Tell us about your New Year's resolutions.

~ Ms. Gessner